David was the first to publish a songbook of his Hebrew worship songs, and the first to record Messianic Jewish music so the songs could be sung all over the world. It took a miraculous series of events to lead David and his wife, Lisa, to become pioneers of messianic worship in Israel.

One of the largest high schools in Jerusalem, the Gymnasia is home to several Messianic students some of whom had attended youth group meetings days before being diagnosed with the coronavirus. Now, all teens and leaders who attended those meetings were forced to go into quarantine as well.

While most of the country was reducing its services or shutting its doors entirely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Aviv Ministry was able to expand its women’s shelter into a more spacious facility in Beersheva and is already welcoming new residents.

The believers in the land of Israel, like in many other nations, have been prohibited from congregating, so they have been exploring other ways to continue their ministry. Many congregations have been very efficient in caring for their communities.

"What an honor – the task of helping to heal the rift between humanity and God. Whether we are aware of it or not, we do represent God to those who don’t know him. This means we can share His heart, His words, and tell of His kindness."

Simcha writes, "For years I carried around the guilt of motherhood not being ‘enough’. I am one of the many many women who believed that motherhood needed to fulfill me, complete me, and be my everything."

The most important stories to know this week are the discovery of a 2,000 year old underground room near the Western Wall, the Israeli response to an Iranian cyber-attack, and the Palestinian Authority announcement that they are cancelling security coordination with Israel.

David was the first to publish a songbook of his Hebrew worship songs, and the first to record Messianic Jewish music so the songs could be sung all over the world. It took a miraculous series of events to lead David and his wife, Lisa, to become pioneers of messianic worship in Israel.

One of the largest high schools in Jerusalem, the Gymnasia is home to several Messianic students some of whom had attended youth group meetings days before being diagnosed with the coronavirus. Now, all teens and leaders who attended those meetings were forced to go into quarantine as well.

While most of the country was reducing its services or shutting its doors entirely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Aviv Ministry was able to expand its women’s shelter into a more spacious facility in Beersheva and is already welcoming new residents.

The believers in the land of Israel, like in many other nations, have been prohibited from congregating, so they have been exploring other ways to continue their ministry. Many congregations have been very efficient in caring for their communities.

"What an honor – the task of helping to heal the rift between humanity and God. Whether we are aware of it or not, we do represent God to those who don’t know him. This means we can share His heart, His words, and tell of His kindness."

Simcha writes, "For years I carried around the guilt of motherhood not being ‘enough’. I am one of the many many women who believed that motherhood needed to fulfill me, complete me, and be my everything."

The most important stories to know this week are the discovery of a 2,000 year old underground room near the Western Wall, the Israeli response to an Iranian cyber-attack, and the Palestinian Authority announcement that they are cancelling security coordination with Israel.

An Invisible Enemy

Like a stealthy beast the coronavirus walks unseen through borders and stalks the streets undetected as a dark phantom seeking whom it may devour. It is neither racist nor sexist nor homophobic nor in the least biased politically or religiously, but an advocate of equal opportunity for all.

But there are other invisible enemies out there as contagious and even more lethal. Like a lion hunting in the dark jungle, this deadly virus comes to rob, steal and destroy whoever it can. It will divide old friends, families, congregations, neighbors and nations. It is invisible and insipid, crafty and pervasive, and known by many names: Lies, Hatred, Pride, Deceit, Lawlessness and the Satan. Whether appearing as a Hitler or a perfumed strumpet, a demon or an angel of light, it will destroy every good thing in its path, if allowed.

This invisible Enemy in an invisible war cannot be destroyed with fighter planes or artillery, cannot be stopped with bayonets or restrained at checkpoints. It is only by vaccination of its very antithesis: Truth and its invisible but palpable offspring of Love and Forgiveness and Wisdom, that can stay the deadly plague of the common Enemy of one and all.

“What is truth?” the representative of the great world power of the time mockingly asked the Jew Yeshua on that pivotal day of world history. That Jew, arrested and bound in Jerusalem, had replied, only hours before his execution, “I have come to bear witness of the Truth. Every one that is of the Truth hears my voice.”

“Today if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts” (Psa. 95:7). May we then seek well to hear that Voice to immunize us all against the invisible Enemy and plague of darkness that would cover and consume the Earth, that we may indeed stand strong to “strengthen the things that remain, that were about to die.”

Elhanan ben-Avraham, born in 1945, is a professional artist, poet, writer and father of two, grandfather of four, living in Israel since 1979. He has served in the IDF, taught the Bible internationally, published five illustrated books of poetry, painted two large Biblical murals in public buildings in Jerusalem, and most recently produced THE JERUSALEM ILLUSTRATED BIBLE, among many other works. He and his wife live in a quiet village in the Mountains of Judah.

"When Moshe went into the tent of meeting in order to speak with Adonai, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the ark-cover on the ark for the testimony, from between the two k’ruvim; and He spoke to him." Numbers 7:89